Wednesday, September 18th 2013

Microsoft Reveals Windows 8.1 Pricing, Free for Existing Windows 8 Users

by
btarunr
 Discuss (61 Comments)
Microsoft revealed pricing of its next major addition to the Windows franchise, Windows 8.1. Licenses to the operating system will sell at US $120 for the standard edition, and $200 for Windows 8.1 Pro. The key purchased at those prices can be used both for clean-installations, and to upgrade from Windows Vista or Windows 7, keeping your files, programs, and settings. Existing Windows 8 users get corresponding variants of Windows 8.1 for free, through Store.

A Windows Upgrade Assistant app will be issued to Windows 8 users, which verifies activation, downloads Windows 8.1 resources, and installs the operating system over the existing installation, letting you keep your stuff. Upgrading to Windows 8.1 for Windows 8 users, would be a no-brainer, since you get this awesome Start button on the taskbar which...spawns the "Metro" Start screen. PC enthusiasts get a longer DirectX rope, with the lure for DirectX 11.2, and its shared-resources (mega-textures) feature. People will be able to switch from Windows 8.1 to Windows 8.1 Pro by shelling out $99 on the Pro Pack, which also adds Media Center. Windows 8.1 Pro users can get that for an extra $10. Windows 8.1 is expected to launch on October 17, 2013.

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61 Comments on Microsoft Reveals Windows 8.1 Pricing, Free for Existing Windows 8 Users

#26
TheMailMan78
Big Member
Prima.VeraYes, but NOT Windows 8 on Desktops. ;)
You will be. Windows 8 or 9 but you will end up with the Metro interface. Its not a matter of "If" but "when".
Posted on Reply
#27
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
TheMailMan78You will be. Windows 8 or 9 but you will end up with the Metro interface. Its not a matter of "If" but "when".
I have Windows 8 on my work computer, I do NOT use the Metro Interface or Metro Apps, in fact Metro Apps are broken on my computer and have been since the day I installed Windows 8.
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#28
CrAsHnBuRnXp
Dos101Buckle up then because Metro is not going away. If anything, the Desktop will be the one going away (not in the near future, but within the next 10 years for sure). It's obvious that's the direction Microsoft is heading.

The Metro....errr...Modern UI isn't a trend, it's the future.
Then looks like im using Windows 7 for the next 10+ years or learning Linux.
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#29
Hilux SSRG
What sucks with this announcement is that there will be no more oem/system builder versions, just retail. Sucks, but the retail pricing is not too out of line.
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#30
buildzoid
There are 2 things i do on my computer:
Play games
Benchmark
All of which can be fufilled by an OS that isn't windows 8 9 or whatever shitty windows comes after that
I am a very cheap gamer to the point where 45% of my games are old games and 45% are F2P and the last 10% are games I get really cheaply because their old so Win 7 will play all my games for the next 3-6 years. Benchmarks will run on XP even in 2017 so Win 7 will also run them. So unless windows X gets a game with 100% destructible terrain I won't buy windows X. Also Valve is really pushing Linux gaming so I'll probably just have a Linux and Win 7 partition and have all I want.
Because there is no way I'm paying for an operating system built for tablets when I'm on a desktop
Posted on Reply
#31
rtwjunkie
PC Gaming Enthusiast
AphexDreamerI actually hope I can still do without the Start button.
There are some pretty good alternatives if you want one that actually works.
Posted on Reply
#32
cheesy999
nickbaldwin86These W8 threads are the most whinning filled threads
I think the thing i'm most interested in with regards to news about windows 8 is when threads about it will be full up with something other than "Well i'm not using windows 8 and this is why i think you should all care about that"

Still i'm looking forward to some of the improvements

so long as the start button can be toggled off again so it's like it is currently
Posted on Reply
#33
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
Hilux SSRGWhat sucks with this announcement is that there will be no more oem/system builder versions, just retail. Sucks, but the retail pricing is not too out of line.
I haven't seen anything from Microsoft saying they are getting rid of OEM/System Builder versions, only that they are getting rid of the Upgrade versions.
Posted on Reply
#34
Dos101
CrAsHnBuRnXpThen looks like im using Windows 7 for the next 10+ years or learning Linux.
Yup windowsitpro.com/windows-8/windows-desktop-death
newtekie1I haven't seen anything from Microsoft saying they are getting rid of OEM/System Builder versions, only that they are getting rid of the Upgrade versions.
The fact that it's not even mentioned in the official press release is telling. But, I look at it this way: OWM copies of Windows 7/8 right now are $119.99 at my local computer shop, and Microsoft is selling Windows 8.1 for $119.99, which leads me to believe they decided to axe OEM copies as they would be the same price as retail copies.
Posted on Reply
#35
Frick
Fishfaced Nincompoop
Dos101Yup windowsitpro.com/windows-8/windows-desktop-death
I'm actually fine with them killing the desktop, eventually. Just make Metro able to handle windowed programs and resizing.
The fact that it's not even mentioned in the official press release is telling. But, I look at it this way: OWM copies of Windows 7/8 right now are $119.99 at my local computer shop, and Microsoft is selling Windows 8.1 for $119.99, which leads me to believe they decided to axe OEM copies as they would be the same price as retail copies.
Or they will axe the OEM prices too. That should have been mentioned though.. But really $120 for full retail is quite good from a historical point of view, as you say.
Posted on Reply
#36
Dos101
FrickI'm actually fine with them killing the desktop, eventually. Just make Metro able to handle windowed programs and resizing.
Microsoft will need to adapt Metro when that happens, WinRT will need to be opened up more to accommodate more functionality and to make it more flexible for multiple "windows" as you suggested.
FrickOr they will axe the OEM prices too. That should have been mentioned though.. But really $120 for full retail is quite good from a historical point of view, as you say.
Agreed, hard to complain about $120 when looking at past prices. Would really be a loss though if there wasn't an OEM version for, say, $90 - $100.
Posted on Reply
#37
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
Dos101The fact that it's not even mentioned in the official press release is telling. But, I look at it this way: OWM copies of Windows 7/8 right now are $119.99 at my local computer shop, and Microsoft is selling Windows 8.1 for $119.99, which leads me to believe they decided to axe OEM copies as they would be the same price as retail copies.
Not really, they never mention the OEM versions pre-release.
Dos101Agreed, hard to complain about $120 when looking at past prices. Would really be a loss though if there wasn't an OEM version for, say, $90 - $100.
I'd complain, but that is because I buy OEM versions, and the OEM version now is $100, and the OEM Pro(because I won't waste my money on the Home Edition) is $140. So if they really are getting rid of OEM versions, which I doubt, then it definitely would lead to a lot of complaining.
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#38
TheOne
I wonder if they will be having any special sales to promote Windows 8.1 like they did Windows 8.
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#39
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
TheOneI wonder if they will be having any special sales to promote Windows 8.1 like they did Windows 8.
They already said no.
Posted on Reply
#40
TheGuruStud
newtekie1I have Windows 8 on my work computer, I do NOT use the Metro Interface or Metro Apps, in fact Metro Apps are broken on my computer and have been since the day I installed Windows 8.
Mine are permanently broken b/c I'm using the real Admin account :laugh:
Good, I wouldn't have it any other way. Their stupidity actually benefits me for once.
Posted on Reply
#41
EpicShweetness
newtekie1They're the same price, so you wouldn't be saving anything.
Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit (Full Version) - Newegg...
btarunrMicrosoft revealed pricing of its next major addition to the Windows franchise, Windows 8.1. Licenses to the operating system will sell at US $120 for the standard edition, and $200 for Windows 8.1 Pro.
I'm sorry, you were saying.
Posted on Reply
#42
LAN_deRf_HA
TheMailMan78All the crying and bitching about MS yet they all have an MS OS on their precious lil' toys.
Of course. There's no alternative to MS products that support our games and a number of other apps. That doesn't give anyone less reason to complain.

Thankfully 7 should be well supported for quite some time, perhaps long enough for another UI overhaul. I'm quite curious to see what they'll drop and keep in 9.
Posted on Reply
#43
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
LAN_deRf_HAOf course. There's no alternative to MS products that support our games and a number of other apps. That doesn't give anyone less reason to complain.

Thankfully 7 should be well supported for quite some time, perhaps long enough for another UI overhaul. I'm quite curious to see what they'll drop and keep in 9.
Rumor has it 9 will bring back aero, and 10 will be cloud based.
Posted on Reply
#44
AphexDreamer
MxPhenom 216Rumor has it 9 will bring back aero, and 10 will be cloud based.
Well that's funny cause Areonever left 8.
Posted on Reply
#46
AphexDreamer
newtekie1You should probably look up what the difference between OEM versions(what you linked to) and Retail versions(what we're talking about in this thread). :cool:
Ugh mine is retail, I still have Areo yo.
Posted on Reply
#47
phanbuey
I love how everyone says that the end of the desktop is near, as they type all this crap on their desktops.

No one wants to work on an 11" screen for 8 hours. It's not going away. We have had the technology to kill desktops for years, and they are still here.

Microsoft just doesn't listen to its customers - and took itself out of a market, that it owned, that is not going anywhere anytime soon. That is why when the CEO announced that he is retiring, without a replacement, THE STOCK WENT UP.

You better believe that when the new guy takes over, a desktop OS will be on its way.
Posted on Reply
#48
EpicShweetness
newtekie1You should probably look up what the difference between OEM versions(what you linked to) and Retail versions(what we're talking about in this thread). :cool:
Point taken, but I still don't see the difference :banghead:
Posted on Reply
#49
Frick
Fishfaced Nincompoop
phanbueyI love how everyone says that the end of the desktop is near, as they type all this crap on their desktops.

No one wants to work on an 11" screen for 8 hours. It's not going away. We have had the technology to kill desktops for years, and they are still here.
We're talking the desktop in Windows, not desktop computers.
Posted on Reply
#50
CrAsHnBuRnXp
AphexDreamerWell that's funny cause Areonever left 8.
That's not the Aero I know and love. I want my title bars on my windows to be glass and see through. I dotn feel like finding it atm but the coding that allows that is not inside the Windows 8 shell like it is with 7 and Vista.

Edit: They actually mention it in that same article you linked.
The Aero Glass feature that offered transparent, glass-like window borders has been removed. It’s not simply off-by-default – Microsoft has removed the code for the blur effect that allowed Aero Glass to work properly.
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